4.1 SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
The soil sample collected from the
experimental site and analyzed in EBSU soil science laboratory for the physical
and chemical properties was texturally a sandy clay loam (Table 1)
4.1.1 GALLING INDEX
Roots of the different tomato varieties
which includes ‘Tiv local’, ‘Abakaliki landrace’, and ‘UTC Jos’ tomato exposed
to the same level of root-knot nematodes in the field, varied in galling
response to the nematode. UTC Jos was severally galled as the number of galls
on its root system exceeds 30. Moderate root galling occurred on Tiv local
tomato variety. Abakaliki tomato variety was lightly galled (Table 2).
4.2 LEAF AREA
Smaller leaf areas occurred on galled
tomato varieties than their controls. Highest reduction in leaf area was
obtained on UTC Jos tomato variety which was severally galled. This was
followed by those of Tiv local variety and then Abakaliki local variety (Table
3).
4.3 PLANT HEIGHT
Plant heights for the uninfected were
higher than those of the infected/galled plants. Least plant height was
recorded on severely galled UTC Jos tomato variety. Abakaliki local variety had
the highest plant height.
4.3.1 NUMBER OF FRUITS
Abakaliki local which was lightly galled
produced the highest number (5.75) of fruits per plant. The severely galled UTC
Jos variety produced the least (1.75) number of fruits per plant (Table3)
Table 1: Soil Physical and Chemical Analysis
|
SOIL
PROPERTIES
|
VALUES
|
pH
5.75
ORGANIC CARBON
1.20%
ORGANIC
MATTER
2.07%
NITROGEN
0.105%
CALCIUM
4.00C mol/100g
MAGNESSIUM
20.80C mol/100g
PHOSPHORUS 22.50 mg/kg
POTASSIUM
0.14C mol/100g
SODIUM
0.096C mol/100g
TOTAL
POROSITY
40.26%
BULK
DENSITY
1.53cm³
MOISTURE
CONTENT
12.0%
SAND
54.6%
CLAY
17.6%
SILT 20.91%
TEXTURAL
CLASS
SANDY CLAY LOAM
|
|
Table
2: Galling Index on Tiv Local, Abakaliki Landrace and UTC
Jos Tomato Varieties.
|
TOMATO VARIETIES
ROOT-GALL INDEX MEAN NUMBER
OF ROOT-GALLS
PER VARIETY
|
TIV
LOCAL 3 17.25
ABAKALIKI 2 4.75
LANDRACE
UTC
JOS 4 30.5
|
|
Table
3: Effect of the Tomato Varieties
on Root-Gall Responses, Leaf
Areas,
Plant Height and Fruit Yields.
|
TREATMENT
|
NUMBER OF GALLS/ROOT SYSTEM
|
ROOT-GALL INDEX (0-4)
|
LEAF AREA (Cm²)
|
PLANTHEIGHT
|
NUMBER OF FRUITS YIELD
|
TIV
LOCAL 17.25 3 0.95 63.0 3.0
ABAKALIKI
LOCAL 4.75 2
1.53 90.1 5.75
UTC
JOS 30.5 4 0.95 61.9 1.75
F-LSD
(0.05) 0.08 8.4 1.21
|
|
4.4 DISCUSSION
The result of these study showed that
the UTC Jos tomato variety are more susceptible to root – galled nematode,
because high number of root – galls were recorded in them. Also, they show
significant difference in the leaf areas and plant heights. Kirkpatrick et al, (1991) reported that the xylem
vessels of infected roots are disrupted and consequently interfere with
absorption and translocation of water and nutrients on the shoot region of the
infected plants.
Fruit yield: the experimental results, showed that there
was reduced fruit yield associated with root-galling on the different tomato
varieties which could be as a result of nematode feeding on the root system and
reducing the ability of the plant to obtain water and nutrient from the soil.
(Agu, 2008). It could also be as a result of excessive lateral roots which tend
to use up available nutrients supposed for the plant growth and development
(Hague, 1980).
5.0 CONCLUSION
UTC Jos tomato varieties were highly
susceptible to root-knot nematode attack in Abakaliki agro-ecology. This was
followed by Tiv local variety. The Abakaliki local was least susceptible to the
nematode. The degree of susceptibility of the different tomato varieties
affected both the growth parameters and yield.
5.1 RECOMMENDATION
‘Abakaliki landrace’ tomato variety
should be used for planting in Abakaliki agro-ecology because it showed more
resistance to root-knot nematode than others which were more susceptible and
consequently yielded lower fruits.
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